We'll turn our guns on Libyan rebels if they attack civilians, Nato threatens

[Turborama]

Source: The Independent (UK)

By Kim Sengupta, Diplomatic Correspondent | Thursday, June 9 2011

- UK and Nato forces would be prepared to turn their guns on their present allies, Libya's rebels, if they attacked civilians loyal to Muammar Gaddafi's regime, British officials stated yesterday.

=snip=

Western powers intervened in Libya under UN Resolution 1973, which allows military action to protect the Libyan population. This has, so far, led to prolonged air strikes against regime forces and installations, and Colonel Gaddafi, plus some close to him, have been indicted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Its chief prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, said there was evidence the Libyan leader ordered the rape of hundreds of women as part of his campaign against rebel forces.

Safeguarding civilians will be a key aspect of the "post-Gaddafi" scenario when the bitter civil war ends. British officials said the NTC will police Tripoli and Sirte, Colonel Gaddafi's birthplace and a loyalist stronghold, at the end of hostilities.

=snip=

Yesterday, a British official said: "We will protect civilians by all means necessary while the UN mandate is in force, and that applies to everybody. If the NTC attacks civilians, the mandate would give the international community the grounds to intervene."

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/well-turn-our-guns-on-libyan-rebels-if-they-attack-civilians-nato-threatens-2294933.html

[Cerridwen]

1. K & R and thank heavens!

[inwiththenew]

2. Meet the new boss

Same as the old boss.

[bemildred]

3. +1. nt

[Turborama]

4. What's that supposed to mean? n/t

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Turborama]

6. I've always thought it was meaningless. It's just a lazy glib trope...

...that adds nothing constructive to discussions.

[joshcryer]

7. Not only that, this has been NATOs position from the onset and is demanded by UNSC 1973.

...really low quality comments on this topic if you ask me.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[EFerrari]

8. Yep. Poor Libya.

[muriel_volestrangler]

14. Are you saying NATO should turn a blind eye to attacks on civilians

just because the attackers are anti-Gaddafi?

Who, here, are the 'new boss' and 'old boss' that you think are just the same?

[jakeXT]

10. We'll turn our guns on Libyan rebels if they attack civilians, Nato threatens

Source: The Independent

NTC accused of human rights abuses over killings of Gaddafi supporters and lynchings of black 'mercenaries'

By Kim Sengupta, Diplomatic Correspondent

Thursday, 9 June 2011


UK and Nato forces would be prepared to turn their guns on their present allies, Libya's rebels, if they attacked civilians loyal to Muammar Gaddafi's regime, British officials stated yesterday.

The warning follows a report by Human Rights Watch accusing the opposition of abusing civilians and calling on the provisional government in Benghazi, the National Transitional Council (NTC), to investigate. One rebel commander said last night: "We object to being threatened by our allies. They are taking part in military action only at our invitation."

Western powers intervened in Libya under UN Resolution 1973, which allows military action to protect the Libyan population. This has, so far, led to prolonged air strikes against regime forces and installations, and Colonel Gaddafi, plus some close to him, have been indicted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Its chief prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, said there was evidence the Libyan leader ordered the rape of hundreds of women as part of his campaign against rebel forces.

Safeguarding civilians will be a key aspect of the "post-Gaddafi" scenario when the bitter civil war ends. British officials said the NTC will police Tripoli and Sirte, Colonel Gaddafi's birthplace and a loyalist stronghold, at the end of hostilities.

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/well-turn-our-guns-on-libyan-rebels-if-they-attack-civilians-nato-threatens-2294933.html

---

Sure, and probably itself for killing civilians lol

[LarryNM]

11. It Only Counts When

the media's "Bad Guys" are doing it to the media's "Good Guys".

[joshcryer]

12. This has been NATO's position from the onset. How many rebels have advanced beyond Adjabiya?

None? Wonder why that is? Possibly because NATO told them not to go beyond restriction zones. Same goes for Misrata. Destroy Gaddafi's western and Russian provided weaponry and the thing just ends naturally.

[joshcryer]

13. Dupe:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4877976

[No Elephants]

15. Who turns their guns on us when we attack civilians?